Feeler mechanism for looms



Dec. 27, 1927. 1,654,478

E. A. CUNNIFF FEELER MECHANIM FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 24.- 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 24. 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 l 21 E 1 E 1 22 r E 1?- l 35 L E \T 7 E l 2 2 E: I a f 15 i 3.9

::L j E1 2 26' N \/E N TO I? ATTORNEY Patents ea, 27, W27.

- STAT EDWARD A. ,GUNNLEF, 0F WALTHAIM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0DRAPER (30R- PORA'IION', QF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFFEELER MEGHANISM FOR LOOKS.

Application filed December 24, 1926. Serial No. 156,879.

to feel for the filling. A feeler mechanism of this general type lendsitself readilyto adaptation for'difi'erent. kinds or characters offilling, and likewise, to different speeds of the loom.

In accordance with the present invention, therefore, the feelermechanism is mounted at the replenishing side of the loom, and consistsof a feeler pivotally mounted upon a slide to enter the shuttle at aninclination to the longitudinal axis thereof and to be displaced towardsthe tip of the bobbin by the frontward pressure when the filling issubstantially exhausted. Inasmuch as the feeler mechanism is located atthe replenishing side of the loom, it is desirable to withdraw thefeeler from the shuttle during replenishment, in order to permit theentrance of a fresh supply of filling.

Since the feeler enters the shuttle at an inclination to thelongitudinal axis and is held by the filling from displacement towardsthe tip of the bobbin while a working supply of filling is in theshuttle, and is displaced longitudinally of the filling carrier when thefilling is substantially exhausted, it becomes desirable that theinclination of the feeler may be varied in accordance with the characteror kind of yarn being employed, and one of the important features of thepresent invention-therefore consists in a feeler mechanism wherein thefeeler is pivotally mounted upon a slide and is held in an initialinclined position to contact with the filling andenter .the shuttle atan inclination to the longitudinal axis thereof, in accordance with thecharacter of the yarn in use and the speed of the loom. p

The invention and novel features thereof will best be made clear fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings of one good formthereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view at the replenishing side of a loom havingthe present invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the relation of parts when thefeeler is dislaced longitudinally of the shuttle by the stantiallyexhausted; and

Fig. 3 is a similar view with parts omitted, showing the feeler ashaving been withdrawn from the shuttle to permit the entrance of thefresh filling carrier.

The loom frame and the usual operating parts may be of well-known type,and mounted upon the loom frame or a support connected thereto is thefeeler stand 1 which may be associated with the loom frame by means of abolt 2 and nut 3. The feeler stand 1 is normally under the influence ofa spring l acting downwardly and limited in its action by means of athreaded bolt 5 extending upwardly to the feeler stand.

Mounted upon the loom frame is the bracket 6 having the slot? in whichthe end 8 of an actuator 9 is movable, said actuator being pivotallymounted at 10, and 'when interrupted in its movement in the slot 7,adapted to call for replenishment of filling. These features, however,are of usual construction and operate in the usual way to callforreplenishment of filling when the actuator 9 is arrested in its movementin the slot 7, and need no further description.

Mounted upon the loom frame or a stand connected thereto is the stud orshaft 11 on which is pivotally mounted the transferrer 12, about the hubportion of which is the spring'13 which acts normally upon thetransferrer, as usual, to maintain it in its upper or inoperativeposition.

The filling carriers or-bobbins to be transferred to the shuttle may besupported in any usual form of hopper or magazlne, which, in the presentillustration of the invention, comprises the rotary hopper 14 whichsuccessively moves the filling carriers 15 to transferring position.This magazine may also be of usual character now well understood in theart.

Mounted upon the feeler stand 1 is the slide 16 normally under theinfluence of a spring 17 tending to move the slide rearwardly. The sprin17 as shown is preferably placed about t e stem 18 which passes throughthe abutment 19 and normally acts between the front wall 20 and theprojecrontward pressure when the filling is sub-.

tion 19 to urge the slide 16 into its-rear ward position. A-suitablestop may be employed to limit the rearward movement of the slide 16 and,as shown, consists of a shoulder 21 formed on the feeler stand, againstwhich the stop 22 of the slide may contact when the slide is in its'rearward position.

Mounted in the arms 23 and 24 is the shaft 25 to which is secured theupwardly extending finger 26, the upper end portion of which normallyrests against the adjustable memher 27 secured to the slide. A spring 28placed about the shaft 25 normally acts to hold the finger 26 againstthe stop 27.

- Adjustably secured to the shaft 25 is the upwardly extending arm 29 towhich is pivotally connected at30 the rod 31 which extends rearwardlyand normally projects across the opening 7 of the bracket 6 to interruptthe movement of the actuator 9.

To protect the parts of the slide from the accumulation of lint andaccidental displacement by unauthorized interference, the feeler stand 1has secured thereto the cover 32, which may be appropriately secured tothe'slide support by means of the bolts 33.

Extending downwardly from the hub of the transferrer 12 is the arm 34 towhich is pivotally connected at 35 the dog 36 adapted to be engaged by ahunter 37 on the lay when the dog is raised into operative positionthrough the actuation of the actuator, as common in this general type ofloom.

The pivotal connection 35 between the arm 34 and the dog 36 is extended,as indicated in Fig. 1, to engage the lug 37 extending from the slide16, so that on replenishment of filling the pin 35 will engage the lug37 and withdraw the slide frontwardly to thereby remove the feeler fromthe shuttle to permit the entrance'of the fresh filling carrier.

Pivotally mounted on the slide 16 at 38 is the feeler 39 which extendsrearwardly from the slide in an inclined direction to enter the shuttleand feel for the filling at an angle to the longitudinal axis thereof.The filling engaging or rear end of the fceler is provided with atoothed surface, as indicated more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, theteeth of which sink into the filling when a working supply is in theshuttle on a defecting beat and prevent longitudinal movement of thefeeler along the filling, but when the filling is substantiallyexhamsted audits amount is no longer sufiicient to hold the feeler. thelatter will slide longitudinally of the filling carrierv in the shuttleunder the frontward pressure upon it to effect replenishmentof filling.

The feeler 39 has a heel portion 40 provided with a shoulder 41, which,when the feeler is in its desired feeling position, engages a suitablestop, as will be further described. The heel portion 40 is rounded, as

meagre shown, and is preferably supported between theupper and lowerwalls of the slotted end portion of the slide 16. Mounted upon the slide16 is the pin 42 about which is coiled at 43 one.'end portion of a leafspring 44, the free end portion whereof is connected at 45 with a pin 46extending upwardly from the feeler 39, the construction being such thatthe leaf spring normally tends to throw the feeler inone direction, andis limited in its movement of the feeler by means of a pin or stop 47,the construction being such that the feeler under the coacting influenceof the leaf spring 44 and the stop pin 47 and the shouldered heelportion of the feeler is maintained in a position inclined to thelongitu dinal axis of the shuttle, so that the feeler will enter theshuttle at an inclination to the longitudinal axis thereof and feel forthe filling. I

Under different speeds of the loom and in the use of difierent kinds ofcharacters of filling. the inclination of the feeler should be varied toaccommodate it to the prevailing conditions, and the present inventiontherefore provides that the stop'pin 47 and the coacting shoulderedportion 41 of the feeler may be relatively adjusted or positioned fordetermination of the inclination of the feeler in its normal feelingposition Such relative adjustment of position may be secured in variousways. but in accordance with the present invention, the slide 16 isprovided with a number of pin holes 48 into which the pin 47 may bepositioned in order to locate the pin relative to the heel stop 41 so asto maintain the feeler in its desired inclination to the longitudinalaxis of the shuttle and in conformity with the speed of the loom and thecharacter of filling employed.

The lay shuttle box at theweplenishing side of the loom. the front wall50 of which has an opening 51 which registers with a correspondingopening in the adjacent wall 52 of the shuttle 53 when the latter isproperly positioned in the replenishing box, the two openings affordingan entrance for the inclined feeler 39 as the lay beats up.

lit has been found in practice that employment of a leaf spring such as'44 in connection with an incline. such as herein} ."f before deserlbed,affords delicate and respon-j sive means for determining the presence orabsence of a working supply of filling in the shuttle. and by thevariations in the incline tion of the feeler in accordance with the 49is provided with the usual ten speed of the loom or the character of thefilling employed,-the delicacy of feeler ac tion at the replenishingside of the loom is such that its sensitiveness is manifested both as tothe presence or substantial absence of filling, and on the occurrence'ofsuch suh- I'm stantial absence the inclined feeler is dis placedlaterally by the frontward pressure to cause the actuator to actuatereplenishment of filling. Since the feeler at such times projects intothe shuttle, it is necessary to remove it to permit the fresh fillingcarrier to be inserted, and on operation of the transferrer the pin 35acts upon the projection 37 to withdraw the slide 16 frontwardly andperforce withdraw the feeler from the shuttle.

What is claimed is:

1. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of a feelerstandsupported by the loom frame at the replenishing side of the loom, aslide mounted on the feeler stand,

a single inclined feeler pivotally mounted on the feeler stand to enterthe shuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis thereof andheld from displacement towards the tip of the bobbin by engagement withthe filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, a leaf spring betweenthe feeler and slide having its end normally acting laterally upon thefeeler to maintain it in inclinedrelation to the longitudinal axis ofthe shuttle, an adjustable stop pin on the slide to variably limit theaction'of the leaf spring, filling replenishing means controlled by thefrontward movement of the slide and constructed to initiatereplenishment of filling when the feeler is displaced toward the tip ofthe bobbin to thereby relieve the slide from a frontward thrust, andmeans, for

withdrawing the feeler from the shuttle during replenishment of filling.

2. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of a feeler standsupported from the loom frame at the replenishing side thereof, a slidemounted on the stand, a. feeler pivotally mounted on the slide andextending rearwardly to enter the shuttle in a direction inclined to thelongitudinal axis thereof and held from movement longitudinally of theshuttle by engagement with the.

filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, and constructed to relievethe slide from a frontward thrust 'when the feeler slides along thefilling carrier, a spring carried by the slide and having its freeend'secured to the feeler, a shouldered heel carried by thefeelerfrontward of its pivotal connection with the slide, a. pin on theslidefor engagement with the shouldered heel of the feeler to coact withthe spring and normally position the feeler in an inclined vposition,filling replenishing means controlled by the frontward movement of theslide'and constructedto initiate replenishment of filling when thefeeler is displaced toward the tip of bobbin to thereby relieve theslide from a frontward thrust, and means for withdrawingthe feeler fromthe shuttle on re plenishment of fillingi' 3. In a filling replenishingloom, the combination of a feeler stand supported from the loom frame atthe replenishing side thereof, a slide mounted on the stand, a feel erpivotally mounted on the slide and extending rearwardly to. enter theshuttle in 7 to vary the angle of inclination of the feeler,

filling replenishing means controlled by the frontward movement of theslide and constructed to initiate replenishment of filling when thefeeler slips. lengthwise of the filling carrier, and means forwithdrawing the feeler from the shuttle on replenishment of filling. a

In testimony whereof, I have signed, my

' name .to this specification.-

EDWARD A. CUNNIFF.

